Alta Via 1

On the trail

• WaterTap water in town is excellent — fill both bottles at La Villetta before the early bus. free
• CashLast ATMs of the trek are here (Raiffeisen and Sparkasse on the main street). Draw the full €444 plus pocket cash tonight.
• ShopsSupermarket near the station for trail snacks — hut lunch prices roughly double valley prices from tomorrow.
• SignalFull 4G in town. Download offline maps and the GPX files tonight while it's easy.
• Hut phoneLa Villetta — you're already there. Tomorrow's hut, Fodara Vedla: +39 348 853 7471.

The day

1. —

   Check in to La Villetta

2. afternoon

   Draw €444 in cash

   No ATMs after this point. Tissi €240, Duran €100, Pian de Fontana €104 — all cash only.

3. ~16:00

   Optional: Mahler composing hut

   Gustav Mahler summered here 1908–10 and wrote most of the Ninth Symphony in a hut in the woods east of town. ~40 min round trip. Or Lago di Dobbiaco, a flat 3 km stroll.

4. 18:30

   Dinner in town

   Last non-rifugio meal for nine days.

5. 20:00

   Repack · confirm Bus 442 ticket

6. 05:45

   Alarm

7. 06:45

   At the St.-Johannes stop

   Arrive early — it fills.

8. 07:01

   Bus 442 departs

   Arrives Lago di Braies ~07:29. Advance booking required Jul–Sep.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterDo not count on a public drinking fountain at the Braies trailhead. Arrive with 2 L filled in town or bought at the lake if services are open. Then nothing on the 900 m climb — the Croda del Becco flank is bone-dry karst. At Rifugio Biella, drinking water is bottled only paid; the next known refill is at Rifugio Sennes free.
• LunchRifugio Biella at the top of the climb (~11:45) or Rifugio Sennes on the plateau (~13:30) — Sennes has the better terrace.
• Bail-outBefore Forcella Sora Forno: back down to Braies (buses to Dobbiaco). After it: continue to Fodara and walk 40 min down to Pederü, which has a road and jeep-taxi service to San Vigilio.
• CashBiella and Sennes take cards on a good day; the plateau link drops often. Pay small bills in cash.
• SignalGood at the lake, gone on the climb, patchy single bars on the Sennes plateau. Fodara has no wifi — tonight is your first offline night.
• Hut phoneRifugio Fodara Vedla: +39 348 853 7471.

The day

1. 07:29

   Arrive Lago di Braies

   1,494 m

2. 07:45

   Depart

   15 min for photos and pack faff. Take the little road along the western shore, then follow trail 1 around the shoreline to the lake's southernmost end.

3. 08:15

   Far end of the lake

   The traditional western-shore approach is now complete. The climb begins at the lake's southernmost end.

4. 08:15

   Optional from here: complete the lake circuit

   +45 min to add the eastern shore before returning to the southern-end climb; a rowboat instead costs +1 h 15 and the early start.

   Add to plan · +45 min
5. 10:15

   Forcella Sora Forno · 2,388 m

   The day's work. Switchbacks through dwarf pine, then two short cabled sections on polished rock, then the Forno (“oven”) gully — a genuine heat trap. Cresting it, Marmolada, the Tofane, Pelmo and Cristallo all open at once. Route split: Croda del Becco leaves on the optional summit spur; the AV1 continues to Rifugio Biella.

6. 10:15

   Optional from here: Croda del Becco · 2,810 m

   +2 h 15 — summit 11:30, back at the forcella 12:30, Fodara at 16:30. Weather-clean days only.

   Add to plan · +2 h 15
7. 10:45

   Rifugio Biella · 2,327 m

   Break 30 min. Refill here — water is scarce between the lake and this point. From the hut the character changes completely: leave the steep karst climb for the broad, low-gradient Sennes plateau track.

8. 11:15

   Depart Biella

9. 12:45

   Rifugio Sennes · 2,116 m

   Wide easy track across the plateau. Grazing cattle, huge sky, almost no elevation.

10. 13:15

    Depart Sennes

    Stay on the main plateau track toward Fodara Vedla. The hut is directly on the AV1, not down a side trail.

11. 14:15

    Rifugio Fodara Vedla

    Restored alpine farm buildings on a shelf. Reportedly excellent showers.

12. 17:00

    Optional: meadow above the huts

    Five minutes uphill. The Croda Rossa catches alpenglow.

13. 19:00

    Dinner

Optional waypoints

• Croda del Becco / Seekofel · 2,810 m+2 h 15

  Leave the AV1 at Forcella Sora Forno 10:15 → summit 11:30 → back at the forcella 12:30. Arrive Fodara 16:30. Zig-zag path north-west, cables at one awkward corner, big 360° over the Braies group. Day 1 is short enough to absorb it — go if the weather is clean.

• Complete the Lago di Braies circuit+45 min

  The western shore is already the traditional AV1 start. This option adds the eastern shore and returns to the southern-end climb. Push everything to a 16:00 arrival.

• Row a boat on the lake+1 h 15

  Rentals open ~09:00–10:00, so this costs you the early start entirely: depart 10:45, arrive Fodara 17:15. Feasible, but it burns the day's slack and puts you on trail through the storm window. Honest read: skip it — you'll see prettier water at Lago Coldai on Day 6.

Notes

• Detour to the hut. None. Fodara Vedla sits directly on the AV1 as it descends toward Pederü.
• Start the stamp collection tonight. Every rifugio keeps a rubber stamp (timbro) at the bar — just ask. Stamp the same notebook or booklet at each hut, starting with Fodara Vedla: the full set is your proof of the traverse when you claim the finisher's pin in Belluno on the last day. Make it the dinner-time ritual so it never gets forgotten.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterFountain at Pederü at the bottom of the descent free, then the San Vigilio valley streams accompany the jeep road most of the climb. Tap water at Fanes is potable free. The easiest water day of the trek.
• LunchRifugio Pederü sits exactly at the mid-point (~11:00) — early, so treat it as second breakfast and eat properly at Fanes on arrival.
• Bail-outPederü: road head with jeep-taxis and a bus link down to San Vigilio di Marebbe. After Pederü, the next clean exit isn't until Capanna Alpina on Day 3 — but today is short and low-risk.
• CashPederü and Fanes both take cards reliably (Fanes has decent wifi). No cash due tonight.
• SignalDead spot most of the Rautal climb; signal returns near Fanes. Hut wifi works — pull tomorrow's forecast tonight, it's the biggest day.
• Hut phoneRifugio Fanes: +39 0474 453 001.

The day

1. 08:00

   Breakfast

   Sleep in. No reason not to.

2. 09:00

   Depart

   Descend from Fodara's high shelf toward the roadhead at Pederü; the final approach becomes a switchbacking gravel service road.

3. 10:00

   Rifugio Pederü · 1,548 m

   The low point and the day's clean route handoff. Road-accessible: real coffee, free fountain, bus and jeep-taxi exit. After the stop, continue uphill on trail 7 rather than following the valley road out.

4. 10:30

   Depart Pederü

   Coffee stop.

5. 12:30

   Rifugio Fanes

   Up Val di Rudo and Valun de Fanes on trail 7 — jeep track, steady rather than steep. You climb into a karstic bowl on the Fanes plateau. Fanes is the main-route anchor: Lavarella, Lago Verde and the afternoon Limo walk are side trips, so return here after each.

6. 12:45

   Check in · lunch · laundry · dry socks

7. 14:00

   Rifugio Lavarella — 10 min walk

   Since 2019 it houses the highest brewery in Europe at 2,050 m: an unfiltered lager and a wheat beer, brewed to the German purity law with Dolomite spring water.

8. 14:45

   Lé Vert / Lago Verde

   Small green lake just below Lavarella, signposted off the trail. Two minutes of effort, disproportionate payoff.

9. 15:15

   Back at Fanes

10. 15:30

    Optional from here: Passo & Lago di Limo

    +1 h 30, back 17:15; add Malga Gran Fanes for +1 h more, back 17:45. Best use of the spare afternoon.

    Add to plan · +1 h 30
11. 19:00

    Dinner

Optional waypoints

• Passo di Limo & Lago di Limo · 2,159 m+1 h 30

  Depart Fanes 15:30 → lake 16:15 → back 17:15. You cross this tomorrow morning anyway, but doing it in evening light with an empty pack is a different experience entirely. Marmots everywhere, including the rock formation locals call the “Parliament of the Marmots”. The best use of the spare afternoon.

• Malga Gran Fanes+1 h

  Small simple hut out on the flat meadow past the pass. Combine with Limo: back at Fanes 17:45.

• Col Bechei+3 h

  From Passo Limo. Would put you back at ~18:30 and cost you tomorrow's legs. Skip.

• Do nothing—

  A legitimate choice. Tomorrow is the biggest climbing day of the trek.

Notes

• Detour to the hut. None. Fanes and Lavarella sit 5–10 min apart, both essentially on route.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterFill everything at Fanes — the Fanes plateau is classic dry karst: no reliable source from Passo di Limo until Rifugio Scotoni (~12:30) free fountain. Above Scotoni, nothing. Lagazuoi has no spring — bottled water only paid, taps non-potable. Carry 2.5 L out of Fanes.
• LunchOrder a to-go lunch from Fanes at dinner the night before and eat it on the plateau — that's the primary plan. Rifugio Scotoni (famous kitchen, 13:00 rush) is the sit-down option, but it adds real descent and re-ascent — only detour if the legs and the clock agree. Last food before the hut either way.
• Bail-outBefore the Lagazuoi wall: Capanna Alpina (30 min off-route from the Fanes plateau) has a road and bus to San Cassiano. From Scotoni: traverse to Passo Falzarego and take the cable car up — the official storm option.
• CashScotoni takes cards. Lagazuoi takes cards too, but it's a summit hut on a radio link — assume cash for drinks and the sauna.
• SignalPatchy on the plateau, none in the Scotoni bowl, then surprisingly good on the Lagazuoi summit (line of sight to Cortina).
• Hut phoneRifugio Lagazuoi: +39 0436 867 303.

The day

1. 06:45

   Breakfast

   Request the night before.

2. 07:30

   Depart

   Fill all water at Fanes. The karst plateau is dry from Limo until the Scotoni area, and there is no dependable stream to rescue a short fill.

3. 08:15

   Passo di Limo / Lago di Limo · 2,172 m

   Gentle warm-up between Mt. Lavarella and Col de Bechei.

4. 09:45

   Forcella del Lago · 2,486 m

   Flat open meadow past Ucia de Gran Fanes, then follow signs left for the clearly visible climb. This is the day's first important route check: leave the easy meadow track and commit to the high notch.

5. 10:30

   Lago di Lagazuoi · 2,182 m

   Steep loose scree descent on a reinforced trail — the slowest section of the day. Poles out, carbide tips bare. Take the trail below the lake; the upper trail is closed for rockfall. The Scotoni lunch/refill route is an out-and-back from here; otherwise stay on the below-lake AV1 line.

6. 10:30

   Optional from here: Rifugio Scotoni · 2,040 m

   Sit-down lunch at a famous kitchen, but it means descending well below the lake and climbing back — add ~1 h and only if you’re ahead of schedule before the 13:00 rush.

   Add to plan · +1 h
7. 11:00

   Depart lake

   Break 30 min — eat the Fanes to-go lunch here (ordered at dinner the night before).

8. 13:15

   Forcella Lagazuoi · 2,573 m

   A gradual grinding climb through moonlike terrain, past Austrian emplacements that thicken as you approach the old front line. This is the final route confirmation before the exposed closing wall; the hut stays hidden until late.

9. 14:00

   Rifugio Lagazuoi

   The hut appears late. This last hour is the hardest of the day and it comes at the end.

10. 14:45

    Piccolo Lagazuoi summit cross · 2,778 m

    An easy comfortable path, ~15 min up. Marmolada, Sella, Tofana, Fanis, Civetta in a full circle.

11. 15:45

    Frontline Trail · WWI open-air museum

    The largest open-air WWI museum in the Dolomites: restored trenches, gun emplacements, tunnel mouths, all signposted. An easy 15-min descent from the hut gets you into the heart of it.

12. 16:30

    Optional from here: Austrian tunnel sections below the hut

    +30 min with a headlamp, before the EXPO.

    Add to plan · +30 min
13. 17:30

    Lagazuoi EXPO Dolomiti

    Small exhibition space at the cable car station with rotating shows. Good weather backstop.

14. 19:00

    Dinner

15. 20:09

    Sunset from the terrace

    The single best view of the trip. This is why people book Lagazuoi a year out.

Optional waypoints

• Austrian tunnel sections below the hut+30 min

  Slot at 17:30 instead of the EXPO. Headlamp required.

• Sunrise from Piccolo Lagazuoi+45 min

  Alarm 05:30, up by 06:00, sunrise 06:21, back by 06:45 for breakfast. Arguably better than the sunset, and nobody else is up here.

• Download the audio guide—

  “The Great War on Little Lagazuoi” — free, English available, covers both tonight's museum and tomorrow's tunnels. Get it on hut wifi tonight.

Notes

• Weather bail-out. If storms threaten mid-morning, drop via Rifugio Scotoni → Passo Falzarego and ride the cable car up.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterStart full from Lagazuoi; there is no dependable natural source on the exposed 401/404 half. Refill at Rifugio Dibona over lunch customer refill. Averau's taps are non-potable, so expect bottled water paid.
• LunchRifugio Angelo Dibona (~11:45). The strict through-line meets its access road just above the hut; this plan includes the short down-and-back because it is the only reliable food-and-water stop before Averau.
• Bail-outDibona has a vehicle road to Cortina; ask the hut to call a taxi. Later, the route touches SR48 at Ra Nona and the 5 Torri lift network is nearby. Before Dibona, retreat to Lagazuoi or use the signed 402 descent toward Falzarego.
• CashDibona and Averau take cards, but carry enough cash for food if a mountain connection drops.
• SignalIntermittent under Tofana di Rozes; stronger around Dibona, the road crossing and Averau. Download the corrected GPX before leaving Lagazuoi.
• Hut phoneRifugio Averau: +39 0436 4660.

The day

1. 05:45

   Optional: up for sunrise (06:21)

2. 07:00

   Breakfast

3. 07:45

   Depart Lagazuoi on trail 20

   Return to Forcella Lagazuoi, then turn onto trail 401 toward Forcella Travenanzes. Do not descend into the Galleria or toward Passo Falzarego unless choosing the shorter 441 variant for the entire day.

4. 08:30

   Forcella Travenanzes · 2,507 m

   Stay east on the shared 401/402 line around Cima Falzarego and Col dei Bos. Trail 402 also drops directly to Falzarego here; that is the weather escape, not today's main line.

5. 09:15

   Forcella Col dei Bos · 2,332 m

   Critical junction: take trail 404 beneath Tofana di Rozes, not the 402 descent to Ra Nona and not the ferrata paths toward Castelletto. The 404 traverse is narrow and exposed in places; check the hut's current trail report before leaving.

6. 10:45

   Valon de Tofana · 2,375 m

   Trail 404 meets trail 403 below Tofana di Rozes. Turn sharply south and descend the switchbacks toward the Dibona access road.

7. 11:45

   Rifugio Angelo Dibona · 2,037 m

   Lunch and refill, 45 min. Cortina's official stage description notes that the strict line can stay on the access road above the hut, but recommends the short visit; this plan and GPX include it.

8. 12:30

   Depart Dibona · pick up trail 412

   Return to the signed 412 start on the access road, then follow the wooded Sótecòrdes traverse and descent toward Rózes and Ra Nona. Expect roots, loose ground and repeated short undulations.

9. 14:00

   Ra Nona / SR48 · 1,985 m

   The day's low point. Follow the roadside south for about 300 m, then take trail 440 toward Casonàte and the Cinque Torri plateau. This is the start of the final sustained climb.

10. 15:30

    Cinque Torri plateau · ~2,250 m

    Trail 440 reaches the broad plateau north of Monte Averau. Stay south on 440 for the direct finish. Rifugio Scoiattoli and the WWI museum are a worthwhile 45–60 min side visit only if the weather and clock are still generous.

11. 16:15

    Rifugio Averau

    Check in, drop pack.

12. 16:45

    Optional: Rifugio Nuvolau · 2,575 m

    ~25–30 min and +160 m on an exposed rocky path. Go only with enough daylight, a clean forecast and energy left after the longer traditional stage.

13. 18:00

    Back at Averau

14. 19:00

    Dinner

    Widely considered the best food on the AV1.

15. 19:30

    Order tomorrow's packed lunch · request 06:30 breakfast

    Day 5 is your longest.

Optional waypoints

• Galleria + Col Gallina / trail 441 variantshorter alternative

  Descend the Lagazuoi tunnels to Passo Falzarego, then use trail 441 past Lago Limides toward Cinque Torri. This is a coherent and popular day, but it replaces the Travenanzes–Col dei Bos–Dibona stage; it cannot be added to it without major backtracking. The dashed line remains on the Day 4 map for comparison.

• Cinque Torri museum / Rifugio Scoiattoli+45–60 min

  Leave trail 440 on the plateau, visit the restored Italian trenches, then return toward Averau. On this longer day it is genuinely optional rather than built into the schedule.

• Rifugio Nuvolau · 2,575 m+1 h

  Drop the pack at Averau first. If you arrive by 16:15 with a clean forecast, the oldest hut in the Dolomites and its 360° panorama still fit before dinner.

Notes

• Dibona is a recommended visit, not a mandatory through-point. The traditional line reaches the access road just above the hut, then doubles back to trail 412. This plan includes the short hut visit for lunch and water, which is why the GPX touches the building.
• Trail 404 deserves a live conditions check. It traverses steep ground below Tofana di Rozes and can be eroded or exposed. Ask Lagazuoi staff about the current state; in poor weather, use the signed 402/Falzarego escape or commit to the 441 variant instead.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterTap at Averau is non-potable — buy drinking water at breakfast. Do not count on a public fountain at Passo Giau; buy drinking water from Rifugio Passo Giau if it is open. On Mondeval the streams below the lake run through grazing country — treat or skip. At Staulanza, the tap is non-potable: buy drinking water for the next stage.
• LunchRifugio Passo Giau comes too early (10:00); better to carry a picnic for the Mondeval meadows — order a packed lunch from Averau at dinner the night before — arguably the finest lunch spot on the whole AV1.
• Bail-outPasso Giau has a road with summer buses toward Cortina and Selva di Cadore. After Forcella Ambrizzola the wooded descent is committed but sheltered — weather bail-outs matter less.
• CashGiau and Staulanza both take cards. Staulanza is a roadside hut with real connectivity.
• SignalDecent at both passes, absent across the Mondeval plateau. Staulanza has wifi — book nothing, but do check Day 6 weather.
• Hut phoneRifugio Passo Staulanza: +39 338 790 0120.

The day

1. 06:30

   Breakfast

   Requested last night.

2. 07:00

   Depart

3. 08:30

   Passo Giau · 2,236 m

   From Averau, descend on trail 464 and join trail 452 beneath Forcella Nuvolau. This is the standard non-ferrata choice for this itinerary; it avoids the equipped Ra Gusela descent from Nuvolau. At the busy road pass, reset the map: the onward line is trail 436 to Forcella Giau, and the first stretch is poorly marked.

4. 08:45

   Depart

   Quick coffee. Check your GPS track here — the route beyond is poorly marked and multiple parties lose it.

5. 09:45

   Forcella Giau · 2,360 m

   Short steep climb on trail 436. Look back at the Tofane and Cinque Torri.

6. 10:15

   Lago delle Baste

   A short spur right off the AV1. Monte Pelmo reflects in it — the shot everyone comes for. You pass the boulder field called La Città di Sassi on the way.

7. 10:35

   Rejoin the AV1

   Leave the Lago delle Baste spur and continue across the open Mondeval plateau. The burial-site route is another optional branch; Malga Prendera is the next main-line checkpoint.

8. 10:35

   Optional from here: Mondeval Man burial site · 2,150 m

   +40 min across the plateau; Monte Mondeval summit is +1 h 30 more.

   Add to plan · +40 min
9. 11:30

   Malga Prendera · 2,148 m

   The best walking of the day: wide grassy plains, easy underfoot.

10. 12:30

    Forcella Ambrizzola · 2,277 m

    Becco di Mezzodì, Croda da Lago and Lastoi de Formin all on display.

11. 12:50

    Forcella Col Duro · 2,302 m

    You're off the high exposed ground by 13:00 — this is the point of the early start.

12. 14:00

    Rifugio Città di Fiume · 1,918 m

    Lunch, 45 min. Descent through pasture and larch with Pelmo's north wall filling the sky. Best strudel reputation on the route. This is where most people end the stage.

13. 14:45

    Depart

    Do NOT take the road — leave it for wooded trail 472. Expect roots, scree and weak signage; check the GPX at the trail entrance rather than after the first missed turn.

14. 16:00

    Rifugio Passo Staulanza

    Roots, scree, slippery when damp, inadequate signage. Budget the full 75 min.

15. 19:00

    Dinner

Optional waypoints

• Mondeval Man burial site · 2,150 m+40 min

  10:35 → 11:15; everything after shifts 40 min, arriving Staulanza 16:40. Below the lake, past the abandoned Malga Mondeval de Sora, marked by an info board beside a large overhanging boulder. A Cro-Magnon hunter, ~40 at death, buried with grave goods 7,500–8,000 years ago; the skeleton is now in the Museo Vittorino Cazzetta in Selva di Cadore. Follow signs toward Forcella Ambrizzola from the shed at the malga. 16:40 puts the wooded descent inside the storm window — low and sheltered, so acceptable, but it is your last slack.

• Monte Mondeval summit · 2,455 m+1 h 30

  Highest point of the plateau, grassy slanted approach with hands-on sections near the top. Would put you at Staulanza 17:30. Too much on this itinerary.

• Skip Lago delle Baste−20 min

  Arrive 15:40. Only if you're running behind by mid-morning.

Notes

• Why the GPX differs from the original line. The historic descent from Nuvolau uses the exposed Ra Gusela via ferrata. This itinerary sleeps at Averau and assumes no ferrata kit, so its default is the signed 464/452 non-ferrata route. Do not improvise between the two lines.
• You can afford one addition. Decide before you leave Averau, not at Forcella Giau.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterStaulanza’s tap is non-potable, so start with bought drinking water. Casera Pioda spring on the climb free, then Rifugio Coldai paid bottled. Lago Coldai is not drinking water. The Civetta traverse beyond is dry until Tissi, whose cistern water is precious — bottled at the hut paid. Carry 2 L over the traverse.
• LunchRifugio Coldai at the top of the day's main climb (~12:00), before the lake. Nothing else until Tissi.
• Bail-outFrom Forcella Coldai: descend to the Col dei Baldi gondola down to Alleghe. That's the last mechanical exit before Belluno — after Coldai you're committed to the Civetta wall.
• CashTissi is cash only — €240 due tonight, the largest single payment of the trek. Coldai prefers cash too.
• SignalAlleghe side of the traverse has bars (you're looking straight down at the town); the hut itself is patchy. Tissi wifi exists but crawls.
• Hut phoneRifugio Tissi: +39 0437 721 644.

The day

1. 07:30

   Breakfast

2. 08:15

   Depart

3. 09:15

   Casera Vescovà · ~1,705 m

   The traditional line leaves the pass road at the first hairpin for trail 568. Continue via Vescovà on trail 561 to Pioda, then take the broad mule track 556 toward Coldai. The GPX does not descend to Palafavera.

4. 11:15

   Rifugio Coldai · 2,132 m

   Lunch, 45 min. Trail 561 passes Pioda before the steady mule-track climb on 556. This is the last food and refill before the dry Civetta traverse; carry 2 L onward.

5. 11:15

   Optional here: stretch the Coldai stop

   +30 min — the last easy terrace before the Civetta traverse.

   Add to plan · +30 min
6. 12:00

   Depart

7. 12:20

   Forcella Coldai → Lago Coldai · 2,143 m

   Last mechanical bail-out: descend from the forcella to the Col dei Baldi gondola for Alleghe. Otherwise continue to the lake; lake water is not drinking water.

8. 12:30

   Swim

   Cold but genuinely swimmable in late August, and you'll be sweaty from the climb. One of the few places on the AV1 you can get in the water.

9. 13:15

   Depart the lake

10. 14:00

    Forcella Col Negro · 2,248 m

    Loose descent with visible rockfall debris above. Views open down to Alleghe.

11. 14:30

    AV1 fork · ~2,100 m

    Turn right and climb to Tissi. The through-route continues down toward Vazzoler, so this is a genuine hut spur. It adds ~150 m and 15–20 min; retrace it to this same fork tomorrow.

12. 14:50

    Rifugio Tissi

    ~150 m / 15–20 min above the fork. You retrace it tomorrow.

13. 17:00

    Cime di Col Reàn · 2,281 m

    A short stroll behind the hut to a summit cross set on the lip of a vertical drop. Marmolada's glacier to the left, Tofana di Rozes far right. Stay behind the cross — the cliffs are crumbly.

14. 17:30

    Forcella di Col Reàn

    Just out the back. Best angle down onto Alleghe and its lake.

15. 19:00

    Dinner

    Request 06:45 breakfast — tomorrow's heat is the issue.

16. 20:04

    Sunset on the Civetta wall

    Orange, then pink, from the terrace.

Optional waypoints

• Rifugio Coldai as a longer stop+30 min

  Right at the top of the climb, natural break, and you're not in a hurry today.

• Alleghe cable carnot recommended

  The Col dei Baldi gondola connects down to Alleghe town. Only relevant if something has gone wrong.

Notes

• Detour to the hut. Yes — the only real one on the route besides Pramperet. At the fork around 2,100 m, turn right and climb ~150 m.
• Cash. €240 due, cash only.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterTissi's supply is cistern — buy what you need. The descent passes streams in Val Civetta. Rifugio Vazzoler fountain free is the critical fill: carry 2+ L out — the exposed climb to Forcella del Camp has nothing, in full sun. Next tap: Passo Duran.
• LunchRifugio Vazzoler (~09:30, early) — eat something anyway; the hard, hot half of the day is entirely after it.
• Bail-outFrom Vazzoler: down Val Corpassa to Listolade on the Agordo road (buses). After Vazzoler the traverse under the Moiazza has no exits until the pass.
• CashPasso Duran “C. Tomé” is cash only — €100 due tonight. Vazzoler prefers cash.
• SignalPoor under the Civetta and Moiazza walls all day. The pass gets valley signal and the hut has wifi.
• Hut phoneRifugio Passo Duran “C. Tomé”: +39 379 250 1937.

The day

1. 06:45

   Breakfast

2. 07:15

   Depart

3. 07:35

   AV1 junction

   Retrace yesterday's detour.

4. 07:50

   Forcella di Col Reàn · 2,107 m

5. 09:15

   Rifugio Vazzoler · 1,714 m

   Loose descent, then flat meadow past the Case Favretti farm ruins, then larch, juniper and alpenrose. The towers on your left are Torre Venezia, then Torre Trieste. Last dependable refill before the dry Forcella del Camp climb: leave with 2+ L.

6. 09:20

   Giardino Botanico “Antonio Segni”

   A 5,000 m² alpine botanical garden a few steps from the hut, established 1968 and named for the former Italian president. Two sections — one left deliberately wild to show natural seasonality, one recreating high-altitude Dolomite habitat with plants and lichens that normally live far above this elevation. Free, signposted.

7. 09:20

   Optional from here: chapel above Vazzoler · Torre Venezia viewpoint

   +10 min and +20 min — both before the 10:00 departure.

   Add to plan · +30 min
8. 09:50

   Cake, and fill every bottle

   Vazzoler's cheesecake and strudel reputation is remarkably consistent. The next stretch is dry and sun-exposed — the most likely place on the trek to get into hydration trouble.

9. 10:00

   Depart Vazzoler

10. 11:00

    Forcella Col dell'Orso · 1,823 m

    Service road at first, then the route turns into a south-west-facing, sun-exposed climb. From here to Forcella del Camp there is little shade and no reliable water.

11. 12:45

    Forcella del Camp · 1,933 m

    The crux: steep, narrow, loose gravel, exposed roots, almost no shade, little margin for error.

12. 13:15

    Rifugio Carestiato · 1,834 m

    Break 30 min. The loose, narrow crux is finished here: refill, then follow the easier gravel track through pasture toward the Duran road pass. The Moiazza wall rises directly above.

13. 13:45

    Depart

14. 14:45

    Rifugio Passo Duran

    Gravel track down through pasture to the road pass.

15. 19:00

    Dinner

    Request 06:00 breakfast and a packed lunch — tomorrow is the hardest day.

Optional waypoints

• The chapel above Vazzoler+10 min

  Small chapel on the hill right of the hut, with marble tablets naming climbers lost on Civetta and the Moiazza. Slot at 09:50, depart 10:10.

• Torre Venezia viewpoint+20 min

  ~10 min past the hut, head-on look at the tower. Pushes departure to 10:20 and the climb 20 min further into the heat — your call.

• Skip the botanical garden−30 min

  Depart Vazzoler 09:30, climb 10:00–12:15, arrive Duran 14:15. Meaningfully cooler on the crux. Take this trade if the morning is already hot.

Notes

• The heat problem has no clean fix. The exposed climb sits between Vazzoler and Forcella del Camp, and no realistic departure gets you through it before the sun is high. Leaving Tissi an hour earlier only buys you an hour. Carry 2+ litres out of Vazzoler.
• Detour to the hut. None. Rifugio Passo Duran “C. Tomé” and Rifugio San Sebastiano are adjacent at the pass — confirm which door is yours.
• Cash. €100 due, cash only.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterFill completely at Duran. A spring near Forcella Moschesin usually runs in August free but don't stake the day on it. Rifugio Pramperet free is the last certain water before the Zita climb — top up to 2 L there even if it feels heavy. Nothing again until Pian de Fontana.
• LunchRifugio Sommariva al Pramperet (~11:30), the only staffed point of the day. Carry reserve food — ask Carlo Tomé for a packed lunch the night before; this is the hardest, remotest stage.
• Bail-outFrom Forcella Moschesin: marked descent to Forno di Zoldo. That is the only realistic exit — beyond Pramperet and up the Zita, the line is committed until the hut. Decide at Moschesin, not later.
• CashPian de Fontana is cash only — €104 due tonight, the last cash payment. Pramperet: cash for lunch.
• SignalEffectively none from Duran to the hut — the longest blackout of the trek. Send your “all fine” messages from Duran at breakfast. Pian de Fontana has no wifi.
• Hut phoneRifugio Pian de Fontana: +39 335 609 6819.

The day

1. 06:00

   Breakfast

   Requested last night.

2. 06:30

   Depart

3. 07:00

   Rest area with Pramperet signs

   Paved road walk, no shoulder, blind curves. Done early while traffic is light — the other reason for the start time.

4. 07:45

   Forcella Dagarei · 1,642 m

   Steep climb through shaded pine, past pasture and cattle, into the national park.

5. 09:30

   Malga Moschesin · ~1,800 m

   Undulating, several scree crossings, blue AV1 triangles plentiful. The malga is no longer operating — no services, but a fine snack spot. Also the last realistic bail-out point.

6. 10:15

   Forcella del Moschesin · 1,940 m

   Abandoned military barracks, Cime de Zita and Talvena in view. Decision point: the marked descent leaves toward Forno di Zoldo; for Pramperet, ignore the paths pointing left and continue straight. Beyond this point the route has no easy exit until Pian de Fontana.

7. 11:05

   Pramperet junction

   The hut is a ~15 min side trail each way. Leave the AV1 here, note the junction for the return, and do not continue toward Zita without refilling.

8. 11:20

   Rifugio Sommariva al Pramperet · 1,857 m

   ~30 min round-trip detour off the AV1. Your only hot food and last certain water before the Zita climb; top up to 2 L. Do not skip this to save half an hour.

9. 12:00

   Depart

   Lunch, 40 min.

10. 12:15

    Back at the junction, rejoin path 514

11. 13:15

    Portela del Piazedel · 2,097 m

    Steady climb across smooth limestone slabs marked in red paint — a strange, almost lunar landscape.

12. 14:15

    Forcella de Zita Sud · 2,395 m

    Short narrow scrambling section at the top. Final major ascent of the trek. You want to be here by 14:30 at the latest.

13. 14:15

    Optional from here: Cima de Zita Sud summit

    +20 min — the last summit of the trek, 360° over the Bellunesi wilderness.

    Add to plan · +20 min
14. 14:20

    Begin the descent

    A warning sign marks the lip. If taking Cima de Zita Sud, return to this same point first; otherwise start the −760 m zig-zag immediately. The descent is the final major commitment of the day.

15. 16:00

    Rifugio Pian de Fontana

    −760 m knee-buster, zig-zagging, singled out in report after report as the toughest descent on the route. Poles essential.

16. 16:15

    Ask the guardian for the La Pissa bus timetable. Write it down.

    This determines the entire pace of tomorrow.

17. 19:00

    Dinner

    Converted shepherd huts — two bunkhouses and a separate dining room. Dorms only; hot showers cost extra.

Optional waypoints

• Cima de Zita Sud summit+20 min

  14:15 → 14:35, arriving Pian de Fontana 16:20. A short spur from the forcella for a substantially wider panorama over the Bellunese Dolomites. Your last high point. Take it if you reach the forcella by 14:15 and the sky is clear — skip it without hesitation if anything is building.

• Anything else—

  No. Get to the hut.

Notes

• Cash. €104 due, cash only.

Tonight’s hut

On the trail

• WaterFill at the hut. Rifugio Bianchet fountain free at the forest road; after it the Val Vescovà descent is shaded and short on sources. At La Pissa you're at a road — the trek's water logistics are done.
• LunchRifugio Bianchet (~10:30) for coffee and cake on the way through; proper lunch is a celebratory one in Belluno.
• Bail-outNone needed — the whole day is a descent to the road. If knees protest, Bianchet's forest road walks out gently to the same La Pissa stop.
• CashBus fare is small change; the driver won't love a €50. Belluno has ATMs, card-everything, and no further use for the cash belt.
• SignalReturns in the lower Val Cordevole and is full by La Pissa — taxi number works again (save it at the hut regardless). Hotel Astor has wifi.
• Hut phoneTonight is Hotel Astor, Belluno: booking confirmation has the number. Rifugio Bianchet (mid-stage): +39 0437 669 226.

The day

1. 06:31

   Optional: sunrise from the grassy shelf

   Worth being up for on the last morning.

2. 07:00

   Breakfast

3. 07:30

   Depart

4. 08:00

   Stream crossing, Val dei Ross

   Drop through beech woodland.

5. 09:00

   Forcella La Varetta · 1,701 m

   Last climb of the Alta Via 1.

6. 09:45

   Traverse below Cima de La Scala

   Monte Schiara on your right — the peak the harder AV1 finish crosses by via ferrata. You're on the walker's variant, correctly.

7. 10:30

   Rifugio Bianchet · 1,245 m

   Break 20 min. The last hut and dependable fountain of the trek: refill before leaving. Signage after the hut is poor, so preload the GPX and confirm trail 503 before committing to the long forest-road descent.

8. 10:50

   Depart

9. 12:20

   Trail exit at the road

   ~5 km of gravel switchbacks on trail 503, with rough rock steps and drops returning near the end. Watch for the “Fermata Autobus” side path on the left; leaving the AV1 for that path is the final navigation decision, not the trail finish itself.

10. 12:30

    La Pissa bus stop

    ~400 m to your right, on the opposite side of the road. People miss this and watch the bus go by.

11. ~13:00

    Bus to Belluno

    Dolomitibus Line 1, Agordo ↔ Belluno, ~30 min.

12. ~13:45

    Belluno — check in to Hotel Astor

13. 15:30

    Belluno tourist office — collect your AV1 completion pin

    There is no marker at La Pissa. This is the only official acknowledgment you finished.

14. 16:30

    Piazza dei Martiri · Piazza Duomo · the arcades

15. 19:30

    A proper meal that isn't polenta

Optional waypoints

• An earlier busstart 06:00

  An ~11:15 departure would require leaving Pian de Fontana by 06:00 and moving continuously with no Bianchet stop. Only attempt this if the guardian tells you the next bus is unreasonably late.

• Cutting the switchbacksnot recommended

  Steep forest shortcuts exist between hairpins. Trip reports advise against them with a loaded pack on tired legs, on day nine.

Notes

• Bus reliability. Inconsistent, with at least one documented case of a scheduled bus simply not arriving. Have the local taxi number saved. A shared taxi to Belluno ran ~€80 split ten ways.
• Claim the finisher's pin. Take the stamped booklet to the Belluno tourist office (IAT, Piazza Duomo 2 — a few minutes' walk from the train and bus station, at the top of the Lambioi escalators) and show your hut stamps to collect the Alta Via 1 completion pin. It closes in the evening, so go before the celebratory lunch turns into a celebratory afternoon.

Tonight’s hut